UPDATE: I’ve seen this one all over. It’s a scam.
Tim shared this one. He’s concerned the price is too good to be true. I think it is right on the edge. Proceed with caution. After a few searches, I found the same ad in Portland. I suspect this is a scam.
“Runs well, 3 speed transmission with overdrive. Recently painted, interior and convertible top in good condition. 5 new tires with tubes, the bumpers, hood trim and interior dash trim all have been re-chromed.”
https://providence.craigslist.org/cto/d/1948-willys-2-door-phaeton/6393689473.html
https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/d/1948-willys-2-door-phaeton/6394717575.html
Well I can tell from the separate photos it is not in RI or Portland, Oregon. It’s most likely in Georgia, above mid state due to the flora. The cedar trees, pecan trees and crape myrtles among others. Probably a picture taken from a previous ad in that area. And no contact number. So a scam? About a 40-40 % chance!
Chicago Craigslist has it for sale.
Good catch Pete and yet another single photo in a different position. Changed up the description somewhat and posted it just a little over an hour ago. Go figure, it just might end up for sale in downtown Bagdad next.
I guess the Scammster has got to make some Christmas spendin’ cash.
Yeah, or he/she or both have to come up with some quick Dineros for lawyers or to pay off the three ghosts of Christmas. LOL
I’ve noticed a recent trend in these types of scams. Like this one, the deal seems really good, good enough to peek someone’s interest. However, unlike previous scams that were super easy to spot as scams, like a $10,000 jeep, atv, etc., the scammers are now making the deal slightly more realistic.
From my high school economics class, caveat emptor! (spelling???)
I’ve seen a couple other ads (for other items) that are questionable. Price is fairly cheap. They don’t put a picture in the ad but in the ad they ask for your phone number so they can text you a picture.
Tim: Spelling is correct 🙂
Blaine: My feeling is that in many of those cases, the seller simply isn’t savvy enough to post pics. In fact, I can’t think of a situation where a non-pic ad was pointed out to me to be a scam. I think anyone who wants to scam folks will use one or more pics; they are out to manipulate folks and pics make it easier.
You guys/gals wouldn’t believe the ways these con artists work. They’ll run numerous ads in clusters starting on the same day, use one photo in each so as not to attract attention from real photographer and use other single photos of the same vehicle at a different angles. They do run ads with no photo just to get a bite and then give info about an old friend that has a special jeep that’s like new just was never used much. After they hook a person, and often they do, then they add difficulty into the scheme on how to obtain it. It works on a few who have no expertise on jeeps and haven’t had much experience buying vehicles. “Oh I van get it but he wants a holder, maybe $300.00, but I’ll let you know my older friend is picky but doesn’t know what he has.”. Then they let it sit and brew for a couple days waiting for the victim, who’s chomping at the bits by know to call the con back. That’s when they come with the trusting truth that he/she didn’t have the heart to call back and tell them that the older friend didn’t believe him and wanted $600.00 to hold it. If they send the money usually to there supposed girlfriend, bingo, no more contact. They could be working up to ten victims at a time and sometimes they get the full amount of the vehicle plus shipping costs. They write the ads down and since they’re on the same days it’s easier to keep track with peoples name and info and amount most likely to get out of them. If they do return your call from the email you sent and you seem as if you have a clue they’ll come up with numerous excuses and you never here from them again because they have your number and tagged with a name of “Don’t Answer”. Or similar. But I can guarantee all of you this, that Jeepster is not nowhere near where the ads are running. Don’t want to be caught by the person that sold or bought it. They call on the ones out there just to see if it sold and where it went. So it’s not hard for me to triangulate and come up with its most likely location. As in this case since I’m very familiar with the Southeast flora as a Biologist and Zoologist. Some of you I noticed know when a car is not where it is said to be located. Be careful out there they’re out for any amount of cash! They make thousands a week. Craigslist is just one of sites they use. If they do buy a vehicle you can bet there is nothing about it attached to their name and they can give you any name. The they sell out right, and then resale it as many times as they can before someone catches on. Poof there gone along with that phone.
Thanks Barry!
Your welcome Dave and all of the ewillys friends. Sometime it takes a very, very large village.
Many such scams are reported to originate from Africa. Having recently been to east Africa, I can understand both why and how. It doesn’t take much, for a younger person in particular, to pull off the technology to start these scams on as a large scale operation. Plus, the poverty in some places is such that we in most of the U.S. can’t begin to understand their struggles. Believe me, I don’t condone or accept these scams in any way! I’m just saying I have a different perspective than some having visited such places, and that we need to help each other spot these scams as they continually evolve and change over time.
Looks like one on eBay right now.
Just saw this in Cleveland too.
I ended up reaching out on this ad. Seller replied back and they are clever. When I asked for additional pics, they replied with 24 pictures of all angles. That was good. Told me they are selling due to a death, etc etc. Even went so far as to request use of ebay for protection. That all I need to do is supply my complete shipping address.
Here is the best part. They say eBay will hold the money for 5 days and will not release the funds until I call eBay. Who calls eBay? Before that they said that if I am interested, we need to use ebay for security, and they will call ebay and tell them I am the buyer. What?
Not sure I will keep playing with them or not. If I do I will post updates.
That being said, I really do want a Jeepster now. 🙁
We all need to take lessons from James Veitch. Check out this link on dealing with scammers…too funny!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Uc-cztsJo
LOL Tim!! I’m actually sick from laughing so hard! Brilliant way to deal with the cons. I want that Toaster Bonanza too! If only Dave had some ewillys toasters to give out.
I did get inspired form the James Veitch video posted by Tim and I played with the scammer for a few. I pushed and pushed on location but they kept piling it on about how they were a nurse and had been stood up previously. They insisted on using eBay to safe guard me. That’s funny. It wasn’t long at all until they got belligerent about how they were making this easy and safe for both of us. They started referring to it as “the item”. I started doinga reverse lookup to trace the origin of the e-mail, maybe by IP address to see what country they were in but I lost my interest.
The e-mail with additional pics was a new twist that I hadn’t seen before. That was a good one.
But, I did get bit by the Jeepster bug and ended up buying the blue one from Nashville that was posted in here. So I am now a Jepster fanboy and proud owner.
LOL!!!
Sean,
Congrats on the Jeepster and on stringing along the scammer. Sometimes we’ll get a call from scammers telling us our windows have problems. Ann likes to string them along by saying, “Oh yes, we had an appointment to have our windows cleaned. When will you be here?”. Then she has fun from there, pretending not to understand them and asking them to call back so they can confirm their appointment.
It’s the little things in life 🙂
Indeed it is the little things in life Dave. Here’s another one from Veitch in which he talks about “finding the game” in everything we do…which this time is trying to unsubscribe from unwanted emails. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dceyy0cX6J4